Scars
by swantonforthemoment
Summary: AU AC and DOC do not happen.  Her wounds are fresh, his decades old, together can they heal and find some semblence of peace. VT rating for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I got nothing its all SquareEnix, I'm just messing with it for fun

Scars 

Prologue: Unknown Soldier

The team all stood panting and watching as the mighty Sephiroth fell. It had been a long taxing battle, but finally it was over. As they all headed back to the airship, Cloud stayed behind, this prompted Tifa to stay as well, and neither one of the noticed the shadow that was Vincent. Suddenly Cloud began walking towards the crater where Sephiroth fell.

"It's not over yet, he's down there, in the lifestream, I have to finish this once and for all." He whispered to no one in particular as he dove into the crater. Tifa shocked stepped forward only to notice a crimson streak following Cloud downward. She stopped having faith in Vincent to bring Cloud back.

Cloud lay on his back his arms too weak to lift his sword as Sephiroth closed in, his Masamune held calmly out to his side. Cloud closed his eyes waiting for the finishing blow, and was shocked by the sound of metal on metal. He looked up to see a mass of crimson, and ebony locks, as Vincent stood over him his claw wrapped around the blade of the Masamune. Sephiroth looked at Vincent in shock, and Vincent stared back no emotion on his face his blood red eyes burning into Emeralds not unlike his own. There was the resounding eruption of gunpowder as the Death Penalty fired and Sephiroth staggered back clutching his chest as the blood ran freely from his chest. Vincent stalked forward lowering his gun as his body began to shift and ripple his eyes met with the silver-haired man in front of him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered softly before he transformed and Chaos was freed, and even the great Sephiroth knew fear. Faster than the eye could see the demon charged and had his claws buried into the man's chest tearing his heart free from his body. Sephiroth fell limp to the floor, Chaos turned and scooping Cloud up over his shoulder flew back towards the crater and out of the Lifestream. Tifa looked up in shock as she heard the flapping of wings, until she saw the familiar form as Chaos with Cloud over his shoulder. He landed turning back into Vincent stumbling slightly, weak from the transformation. She looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"He'll be fine, hurry we must go." He lead the way back the air ship, a now conscious Cloud running with them, they boarded the ship and headed for home, Cloud receiving all the glory and credit for winning the battle. All except Tifa who shot Vincent a knowing look, and he simply turned and stared out the window.

A/N I know it's short but it's just a prologue, don't worry chapters will be longer, and yes it's a little AU but oh well, I'm not a huge Cloud fan so yeah there may some bashing later on sorry.


	2. Chapter1: My Curse

Disclaimer: I got nothing it's all SquareEnix I'm just messing with it for fun.

Scars

Chapter 1: My Curse

Tifa walked quietly down the darkened streets of Midgar. It was well after midnight, a dangerous time for a woman to be out by herself in the slums. Tifa, however, was perfectly at ease she was more than capable of defending herself and she knew that. She carried her few shopping bags close to her as she walked. She looked up and smiled at the approaching storm, she had always liked thunderstorms even as a child. She found her thoughts soon wandering to her friends, and how none of them liked it when it rained except for Vincent. She smiled at the memories of her and said gunslinger sitting up at night watching the storms pass on their adventure. She shook her head softly, Vincent, now there was a mystery wrapped in an enigma locked in a puzzle box. Out of the entire team he was the only one that nobody had heard from after the battle with Sephiroth. She shrugged mentally if he wanted them to know where he was he would have told them, but still she couldn't help but wonder and worry.

He leaped from rooftop to rooftop shadowing her every move, as he had done every time she left her bar since the battle with Sephiroth. His metallic boots not making a sound, his blood red cloak billowing behind him in the evening wind, Vincent Valentine moved along like a bloodstained shadow. He had followed her and Cloud back to Midgar after the Sephiroth battle, and instantly bought the abandoned house across from the Seventh Heaven, unbeknownst to Tifa or Cloud. Thus began his routine of watching the bar from his home, and discreetly following her whenever she left, and everyday cursing Cloud for ignoring her feelings for him, and cursing his own inability to talk to her.

"_It's really for the best Valentine and you know it, you would just end up destroying her life like you did your own and that stupid scientist woman's."_ Chaos mocked him openly inside his mind, Vincent simply clamped down on the mental barriers and ignored the beast, although he knew it along with the others would need to feed soon lest the become dangerous to the general public. Vincent stopped as he landed deftly on the roof of his own home and sighed as Tifa was greeted at the door of the Seventh Heaven by Cloud. He watched as they exchanged a small hug and the door was closed behind her. He quickly took flight out of Midgar and onto the plains letting loose the demons inside him. Several hours later he returned home sore and covered in blood, he slowly stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower.

"This is my curse." He whispered softly, as he stepped from the shower and gingerly limped his way to the bed and laid down allowing sleep to take him.

A/N: Hey I'm back, I know it's been forever but I'm going to try to update this as well as my other story more often, sorry for the shortness but promise they'll get longer, and as always reviews are appreciated.


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